


Tea and Books

by Wordsinrain



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, bookshop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-05-24 14:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14956386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordsinrain/pseuds/Wordsinrain
Summary: Telana Lavellan works in a bookshop ran by Josephine and owned by Varric. She spends her days shelving books and dealing with irritating customers. Until she starts talking to a regular customer with a bald head, pointy ears and a penchant for academic arguments that she can't refuse.





	1. Chapter 1

The woman in front of Telana clicked her tongue. Telana’s eyes hurt as she fought to stop the eye roll that so desperately wanted to happen. She forced a smile on her face, the one only reserved for women who clicked their tongues at her. 

"I don’t like hardbacks," the woman said. "Can you not just order me the paperback?" 

Telana took a deep breath, "No. Like I said, the hardback has only just been released. The paperback won’t be out for a good few months, depending on how well it does in hardback." 

"Amazon has the paperback," the woman countered. 

Telana resisted the urge to tell the women to go fucking order it from Amazon then. Instead she pulled up Amazon on the computer in front of her and searched for the book in question. Sure enough there was a paperback there, but it was only available on pre-order.

"Amazon has the paperback for pre-order," Telana stated. The woman clicked her tongue again and Telana’s jaw started to ache from clenching it. 

"Well I’ll just take my custom elsewhere then," she snapped. 

Telana looked up at the woman, "I can’t get you the paperback, but I can take £3 off the price of the hardback?" 

The woman’s lip turned up into a smile that made Telana feel like she was going to vomit on the desk in front of her. If only she could take the book out of the woman’s hands and beat her across the head with it. 

"If it wouldn’t cause you too much trouble. I did want the paperback after all," she said. Telana didn’t respond straight away, and instead rung up the price of the book and applied the discount. 

There were still two hours left of her shift and she was genuinely contemplating jumping out of the window. She was on the second floor after all, and if she didn’t die she’d at least be on sick leave for a while. It was win-win. Except the falling and the pain part. That was undesirable. 

Telana was still lost in her musings when she remembered the woman in front of her, "would you like a 5p bag?" 

"Don’t you have paper-bags?"

"No, we don’t," Telana replied, she should’ve known this women was going to be one of those people. 

"Well I think it’s disgusting," she said. Telana didn’t point out if she was that bothered about it she would have brought a tote bag with her. 

"Hm," Telana replied. "So no bag?" 

"Well of course I need a plastic bag if you don’t bother with paper-bags," the woman replied. Telana had already been reaching for the bag. She looked over the woman’s shoulder to see if there was anyone else in the queue behind her, but luckily she was the only one there. 

She handed the woman the book and smiled, "hope you have a nice evening." 

The woman humphed, turned on her heel and stomped toward the stairs. Telana sighed once the woman was out of earshot. She couldn’t fathom why some people were so god awful.  
She quickly checked her phone, before locking her till and going to have a wander around her floor. Telana took great pride in her area. She had the ‘academic floor,’ and the organisation of it confused even the most hardy of fiction booksellers, but she had it down to an art. The only other person even vaguely capable of sorting out her floor was Dorian. But he was only three days a week and so she spent a lot of her time correcting mistakes from other booksellers who’d come onto her floor when she wasn’t around and had attempted to shelve new stock.

There was a couple over in travel milling about, and another few over in the rather dubiously titled ‘mind, body and spirit,’ section. But a certain figure over in Ancient history caught her eye. He’d been in a few times previously and she couldn’t stop her eyes drifting over him. He was lean, but with broads shoulders for his frame. He was stooping over a book, but he wasn’t enjoying it if his clenched jaw was anything to go by. 

"Hi, you’re back," Telana said with a smile. Customers liked when you recognised if they were regulars. "Anything I can help you with today?"

The man turned to her, his lips held in a tight line. "No, I shouldn’t be surprised that there is nothing here but the typical falsehoods perpetuated about the druids."

"You’re looking for stuff on druids?" Telana asked. 

"Hm," he said turning his attention back to the shelf. "Though not what is here."

"Fair enough," she replied trying not to get distracted by his pointed ears that she really wanted to touch. "So what are the falsehoods?" 

The man’s eyebrows raised at her question. 

"They knew a lot more about physics than we give them credit for. Probably more than the greeks. A lot of the knowledge was lost with the Roman invasion. Their history wiped." 

"Physics huh, so how do you know if the history was wiped?" Telana asked. She risked a glance behind her to check there wasn’t anyone at the till. 

"It’s my job to," he said. "I’m a researcher at the university. I look at connections between ancient and current theories on physics."

"Attempting to see if they knew stuff we don’t?"

He nodded, "I am Solas, if there are to be introductions." 

"Telana," she said. 

"It’s a pleasure. There is a lot of stuff they knew that has been written down as magic or religion. I’ve spent my academic career searching for the truth." 

"Impressive," she said. "I’d love to know what you’ve found."

"You would?" 

"Yeah," she said. "Why are you surprised?"

"Not a lot of people are curious as to physics and ancient civilisations. They tend to ignore me or believe it’s all witchcraft and the history books could not possibly be wrong." 

"Well a lot of people are morons," she said. 

Unfortunately, that was the moment the couple had decided on their travel guide and Telana gave Solas an apologetic shrug and ran off to do what she was actually paid for. She couldn’t help, but keep glancing up at him as she put the guide to Zimbabwe through the till. 

He gave her a nod as he turned to leave. Telana felt disappointment circle in her stomach. She knew he likely had a partner or something, but she had genuinely wanted to know more about the physics druids. Once the couple had left, she typed a reminder into her phone to google when she got home.

* * *

_A few days later_

The key turning in the ignition made the most pitiful sound. It wirred then clicked over and over. Telana sighed and let her head drop on to the edge of the steering wheel. She’d just finished work; it was dark and she was tired. 

“I don’t have time for this,” she hissed. Which was in fact a lie. She did have time. There was no one at home waiting for her, and her next shift wasn’t till morning. But she sensed her free time and the time in which she could actually sleep ebbing away from her. 

Telana knew exactly what was wrong with the car, but she did the test anyway and attempted to turn on her headlights: nothing. She even tried the horn with no avail. Goosebumps had risen on her arms and her teeth were chattering, as she grabbed her phone. She scrolled through her list of contacts; who was going to be available to jump start her car? Leliana and Josie had left the same time as her, but Josie got the train and Leliana would be over the river by now, she didn’t want to call her back. Dorian wasn’t at work, but he didn’t drive anyway, and she didn’t fancy asking him to get his boyfriend involved. 

She was contemplating giving Varric a call when she noticed a familiar bald headed man walking through the car park. He was wrapped up, his scarf covering the majority of his face. But she’d recognise those ears anywhere. The car door was thrown open and she leapt up holding on to it for support. 

“Solas!” she yelled. He jumped and spun around, his eyes wide. She was waved. “Hey.”

He removed his headphones and walked over to her.

“Sorry for the fright,” she said with a smile. “Please tell me you are in this carpark because your car is here and you are not just walking through?” She was very aware the university was close and he could just be heading there at 8pm but she was very sorry for him if he was. 

Solas pulled his scarf down to give himself room to speak, “Yeah my car’s over there.” 

“Can you maybe bring it over here so I can jump start my car?” she said. “I have leads.” 

Solas stared at her, “you have leads?”

Telana shrugged. “I have a dodgy battery works 9 times out of ten, but it’s best to carry them just in case. I will get you some books you hate on discount if you help?” 

Solas laughed, and Telana found herself making a vow to keep trying to make that happen. 

“Okay let me bring it over,” he said. Telana watched as he walked away, lamenting the weather that meant she couldn’t stare at his ass. 

“You know, if your battery is dodgy you should probably get a new one,” Solas remarked as she connected the batteries. 

“Really? Never thought of that,” she replied. “I don’t really get paid enough after rent, bills and food to shell out a hundred quid on a new battery. I’ll do it eventually.”

She didn’t have to look at Solas to know he was frowning. 

“Right, start your engine,” she said before he could pity her. She didn’t know what level of academia he was on and she was aware that could vastly effect the amount of money you were being paid. 

“Thank you for this,” she said. 

“Anytime,” he said.

“I was planning on spending an even with my book and not driving to recharge my battery, but alas fate had other plans.” 

“What are you reading?” he asked.

“The radium girls by Kate Moore, about the girls that got radium poisoning from working in the dial painting factories in the US,” she answered. “So really cheery.” 

“Indeed,” he said. 

“What about you? Or do you only read about druids and physics?” she asked. 

“It is rather all-consuming,” he said. 

“I still want to read your research,” she said. Solas tilted his head to the side. Telana went to her car and started her engine and thankfully it went without a hitch. “Woo! One step closer.” 

“Why?” he asked, 

“Why what?” she asked as she climbed out of her car letting the two engines run together. 

“Why would you want to read my research? It’s not as if you need to for your career,” he said. Telana winced at that comment. 

“Like I said, it sounds interesting. I like reading about things I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “I looked it up you know.”

“You did?” 

She nodded. “You’re right. No one believes you.” 

Solas sighed, “No one is open to learning anything new.” 

“How did you get your funding if no one wants to believe it?” she said. 

“Ah my funding is to find connections between current theories on physics with ancient civilisations. They didn’t think I would fixate so much on the druids. It is of constant frustration to my peers.”

Telana laughed, “you sneaky bastard.” 

Solas looked startled at her, but then joined her in laughing. He turned off his engine and thank god her car kept running. 

“Victory!” she yelled pumping her arms in the arm. She wrapped her arms around Solas.

“Thank you so much,” she said. He stood there frozen for a moment. 

“It's nothing,” he said. Not really knowing what else to say. “Goodnight.”


	2. Chapter 2

The hot water soothed Telana’s aching muscles as she lay in the bath. She moved her head from side to side trying to work out the kinks that had developed there from leaning over the till all day. The water was a deep blue from her bath bomb and smelt of sandalwood and peppermint. 

Pages from the book she was reading had started to warp in the steam, which didn’t bother her as much as it would some of the people she worked with. She’d stopped reading a few moments ago and was instead staring up at the white ceiling, contemplating whether she could be bothered to actually get out of the bath now that the temperate had taken an unpleasant dip.

The familiar buzz of her phone vibrating broke her out of her thoughts. She grabbed it from the side to see a comment in facebook messenger from Dorian.  
   
_Pompous egg was in after you left. Think he was sad you weren’t in. Though it is hard to tell, given his rather permanent sour expression._  
   
Telana felt a smile form across her lips and she had to bite her lip to keep from getting carried away.  
   
_Doubt it. He was probs just annoyed we had no new druid books to complain about. I’ve love to read his thesis though._  
   
She hit send and gave up on the book in her hand. She threw it away from the bath tub so she wouldn’t get anymore water on it getting out.  
   
_No. He genuinely looked at the till and actively frowned. Totes sad you weren’t there. I think it broke his grumpy egg heart._  
   
Telana sent a gif back of a crying egg and locked her phone. She was going to have to start moving if she didn’t want to turn into an actual prune. She was still breaking out into small smiles over that message. Solas had been back in multiple times now since the issue with her battery. She wasn’t really sure why anymore as he had thoroughly exhausted her floor's capabilities in terms of his research. He hadn’t even asked her to order anything, so he was coming in and staring at the same books while occasionally talking to her and complaining about the books.  
           
_You should ask for his number._ The message buzzed on her phone.  
   
_How do you know I don’t already have it? ___  
  
_You minx._ Dorian sent a gif.  
   
He then added. _But I know you don’t. There’s too much eye fucking for you to be getting anywhere near actually fucking_    
   
Telana coughed as she saw the message. She didn’t bother denying it, there was no point with Dorian, regardless of the validity of his outrageous claims. There probably wasn’t nearly the amount of eye fucking he was claiming there was. Telana wasn’t even sure what constituted eye-fucking. Did there have to be intention for example? Or was eye-fucking a purely subconscious thing? Did it have to be reciprocated? 

____

__

Telana couldn’t even tell you if she wanted to actually fuck Solas. Sure he was attractive and she loved talking to him, but that didn’t necessarily meant she wanted to jump his bones, not yet anyway. She certainly wouldn’t turn down spending a bit more time with him. 

_Ask for his number._

_She sighed, Dorian was persistent._

_Or give him yours._

She was cold and dripping water on the floor, but she picked up her phone to reply. 

_Dude I have just gotten out of the bath, give me a moment to dry before you start pimping me out._

The phone was discarded as she found the biggest fluffiest towel that was clean and wrapped it round herself. 

When she eventually turned her attention back to her phone Dorian had sent a gif of someone screaming. 

_I can’t unsee that._

Telana grinned. _You’re welcome,_ she typed. 

_Nope._

_I am aesthetically pleasing I have you know. It’s all that shelving I do._

Dorian’s reply was almost instantaneous: _Yes, but you’ll never be as fabulous as me. Or as hot._

_It is a pain I have to live with everyday._

_Don’t worry, you’re not alone, so does everyone who is not me._

Telana laughed and tossed her phone away again. She was in for nine for following morning and she needed not to spend her night messaging Dorian. She wondered if her Solas would be back in the shop tomorrow. Perhaps she should ask for his number.

* * *

There was one shelf left on her trolley of stock to put out, and then, and only then, would Telana go get a well-deserved tea. The day was going about as well as could be expected. She’d ran the first trolley over a toe which was still throbbing, and she crashed her hip into a table she’d moved earlier. She had a permanent bruise from book tables on her left leg. But the end was in sight. 

That was until a group of students all decided to buy their course books at the same time. Her heart sank. It was a good thing, she told herself, it was money for the store. But what it meant was that her much needed cup of tea was moving further out of her grasp. She sighed. 

She noticed Josephine walk by and give her a sympathetic glance. Varric might’ve owned the store but Josephine was it’s manager and it’s success mostly rested in her ability to know exactly what books the public wanted and when. Varric was just very good at making deals with publishers. Of course no one talked about his books under a pseudonym that lived in the romance section. 

“Josie get me a tea from the cafe,” Telana yelled after her, but the lack of response and the disappearing head down the stairs told her Josephine didn’t hear the request. 

Telana held back from sighing again and turned her attention to the queue in front of her. It took her 30 minutes to get through it, which was abysmal and not her usual standard at all. But moron #3 had wanted a book that was not only not orderable, but also been out of print for the last ten years. 

“Why can’t you get it?” He’d asked with a frown on his face. 

“It’s out of print,” she’d replied with what she had just told him. 

“But it’s been in print, you should be able to get it from somewhere surely. Why would our lecturer send us out for a book you can’t get.”

“Well lecturers don’t really look at the printing runs of books before writing reading lists. But as I said it’s out of print so I can’t order it from the publishers. Your best bet is second hand.” 

“Shouldn’t you be stopping us from going elsewhere to buy books?” 

“I can’t magic up a book that is out of print.” 

This disagreement had gone on for a while before he’d finally conceded and left the queue in a huff. The rest of the line had followed in a similar fashion and she was left feeling bereft at the future of humanity. 

When the last idiot had left she rested her head on her forearms closing her eyes. She just needed a minute, just one minute.

She heard someone place something in front of her and she lifted her eyes to a mug of tea. She followed her eyes up to a tall bald man with the most mesmerising assortment of freckles across his nose. 

“For me?” She asked standing up properly. 

“Yes,” Solas said. “It is certainly not for me. I detest the stuff”

Telana smiled and picked up the mug,, “You don’t like tea?”

Solas wrinkled his face in a way that was 100% adorable, “no it’s hot leaf water. I don’t see why anyone could possibly like it.”

She breathed a laugh and sipped the drink. She sighed and hugged the mug closer. 

“Tea solves everything, you don’t know what you’re missing,” she replied. 

“I most certainly do,” he said. 

“What about coffee?” she asked taking another sip. 

“Mildly better, and will do when necessary,” he answered. 

“Thank you,” she said. And then Solas smiled. 

She found herself staring, and something stirred in her that felt like that moment gravity overtook you on a rollercoaster. 

“Seriously, I was desperate,” she said. “They were idiots.”

Solas laughed under his breath and Telana swore her heart stopped. 

“Well, I heard you call out for one before,” he shrugged. “You looked like you needed it.”

“Josie needs her ears testing,” she grumbled. “Yours are apparently very fine indeed.” 

Solas’ cheeks became the same colour as the sakura tattoo on her forearm. She was vaguely aware of customers on her floor, and even more of a couple who had queued and then left. She’d be bollicked for that one later, but she didn’t care. There was more important things to be doing, like staring into eyes the colour of the North Sea in November. 

“Lavellan!” Telana snapped out of her gazing with a start. Even Solas jumped. 

Cassandra was hurrying up to her. She was dressed in black trousers and a navy blue shirt, clearly still at work. 

“Do you have it?” She whispered ignoring Solas completely. 

“Yes,” Telana answered and fetched a book from behind the desk. 

“I left Cullen in amongst the Bernard Cornwall books,” she said with a grin. “Should occupy him a while.” 

“Here you go,” Telana responded handing her the book. Cassandra paid for it and hurriedly pushed it into her bag. 

“Thank you,” she whispered hurriedly. “I’ll text you when I need the next one.”

Telana nodded. 

“Anyway got to go, technically still on shift,” she said as she turned her heal. “CULLEN!”

Telana found herself laughing and Solas’ raised eyebrow made her laugh harder. 

“That was Detective-Inspector Pentaghast,” she said by way of an answer. “She has an addiction to romance novels that she doesn’t want anyone to know. Especially her partner. She treats it like some sort of drug deal.”

“Naturally,” Solas said. “Anyway, I must go, I do have to do some work today.”

“Damn shame,” she replied. “I’ll have to repay you in a drink sometime.”

The blush resurfaced, “there’s no need. I-”

“Nonsense,” she barraged on through. “Let me know when you’re free and we’ll sort something out.” 

There was a moment whether she thought he was going to say no again, or make an excuse or any other thing that would’ve left her feeling disappointed. 

“Ok,” he said. He grabbed the pen on her desk and scribbled on a bit of paper he pulled from his pocket. “My number.” 

He hurried off before she even had the chance to mumble a thank you. She stared at the spot he had been standing a moment before. 

“Oh fuck,” she said. “I’m done for.” 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Telana enjoyed spending her lunchbreaks with Leliana when she could. It was mostly because they had similar eating habits, but she was also one of Telana's favourite people. Leliana sat back from the table with enough room to place her feet on it without remorse. She wore her usual skinny jeans with a black hoody that had an ornate cross on the back. Her eyes were rimmed in smokey eye makeup, which made her gaze always seem intense. 

Leliana explained that she had had a customer grab her arse as she’d been shelving. She’d been so startled by the event that he’d left before she had had a chance to rip off his balls and feed them to him. Leliana was furious about the situation and wondered how much trouble she would get into if she used the CCTV to track the man down and proceed to the ripping off of his balls. Telana sympathised, she’d had a male customer decide to tell her in detail how important female orgasms were, and that a woman needed at least three a day. This man was in his fifties. She wasn’t as ruthless as Leliana and had just stared at him, wondering if this was an innocent conversation to him or if he was deliberately trying to unsettle her, or just being pervy. In the end, she summoned Dorian to help the customer and she vanished. She rightly assumed he had no such desire to talk about those things to a male bookseller. 

They walked back to the shop floor together and Leliana headed off to the lower floors where she manned the horror and sci-fi/fantasy books. There was a familiar figure hanging about the ancient history section. She couldn’t help the smile that formed, or her legs being drawn straight to him. 

“Hey you,” she said nudging his arm with her elbow. God she hoped Varric didn’t see this. The last thing she needed was a disciplinary for manhandling customers, and then being mocked mercilessly when he learned the truth. 

“Hello,” he said turning away from the books to look at her. She noticed his lips had turned into the smallest hint of a smile and it felt like she was made out of air. She thought if it turned into a complete smile she might just float away. 

“I’ve been thinking,” she said. He raised an eyebrow but remained silent. “This tea hatred of yours. Does it extend to Green tea?” 

“All tea,” he replied without a pause. “No exceptions. No hot fruity water or any other types of leaves stewed in anything.” 

Telana pursed her lips, she expected this answer and yet she was not happy with it. “What do you drink?” 

Solas shrugged, “water mostly.” 

“Okay so does this mean you haven’t had green tea ice cream?” She pushed. 

“No,” he answered her incredulous. “Why, when I hate tea, would I pick something flavoured with it?"  
“But it’s different,” she insisted. “It’s Matcha, not Sencha.” 

Solas blinked at her, “I would expect nothing less of someone with a cherry blossom tattoo to know the difference between green teas.” 

Telana felt her cheeks flame. 

“Anyway,” Telana said brushing it off. “Matcha is wonderful. And Green tea ice cream is the best.” 

Solas shook his head. 

“And besides there are _many_ uses for Green tea ice cream,” she grinned. It was Solas’ turn for his cheeks to redden. Any answers he had to her comment were lost as Sera ran up to them. 

“Hey you,” Sera addressed Telana and ignored Solas.

“Hey,” she said. “Sera this is Solas, Solas Sera.” 

“You’re the one that pulled that grumpy face when ordering tea the other week,” Sera remarked. “If you don’t like it. Don’t order it. It’s simple yeah.”

Telana snorted and then coughed to cover it up, “He was buying that for me.” 

“Oh you were, were you,” Sera said and then looked him up and down as if she was a lion eyeing up a particularly juicy looking buffalo. 

“Sera did you want something?” she asked suddenly worried what sort of ideas were popping into her friend’s head. She would need to remind her he was a customer, but then again, that hadn’t stopped her before. Varric did only keep her around because she was funny and kept him grounded, otherwise the fact she’d managed to bring in over a dozen complaints would’ve have seen her gone a long time ago. 

“Oh yeah, drinks tonight after work?” Sera asked turning her attention back to Telana. There were several thoughts that decided to run through her head at that moment. The most predominant one was that drinks with Sera were hard to remember the next day, though there was always some sort of footage of it on the internet. It often resulted in frantically trying to scramble back one’s dignity. The only person who had ever managed to out drink her was Dorian’s boyfriend the Iron Bull and that had been an off day for Sera, she’d had the norovirus the previous week and hadn’t quite fully recovered. 

“Do you mean _a_ drink? Or do you mean rounds of shots and dancing on the tables?” Telana asked and ignored the way Solas’s eyebrows nearly rose off of his face. 

“Oh come on, that was once, twice. Only three times. We’ve danced on poles more than tables yeah,” Sera argued and Solas’ cheeks had gone that interesting pink colour again, thankfully Sera didn’t seem to notice his blush or she’d have leaped on it with glee. Telana kept her face as straight as she could as she looked at Sera.

“Fine don’t get your granny knickers in a twist. One drink,” Sera moped deflating like a balloon. 

“Okay, I’m in,” she said. Sera whooped loudly which caused a man browsing the politics section to jump and then scowl in their direction. Sera scurried away towards the stairs. 

“And at least two shots,” she yelled. “No takesies backsies.” 

The laugh as she hurtled down the stairs and back to her cafe was nothing short of maniacal. Telana sighed, what had she gotten herself in for this time? 

“So, dancing on tables?”

* * *

The local they went to after work was up an annoying flight of stairs and most of the booths had holes in the leather cushions. However, it was cheap for a city centre pub, and really you didn’t need much more than that. Plus it was one of the only bars left in a quarter mile radius of their work that hadn’t barred Sera from the premises. 

Sera had actually managed to rope a fair few of them into going out. Varric was sat teaching Dorian how to play a card game he’d picked up from his days in the army. Josie was telling Leliana her grand plans for her home renovation, which included, but was not limited to, one conservatory, an attic conversation and a completely new kitchen. Sera was ordering in another round of drinks at the bar, despite the fact no one except Sera had finished their previous drink. 

The pub itself was quite quiet, there were a few groups of people in, but being a weeknight it was practically empty. Telana glanced out the window at the passersby on the street below as she nursed her pint. She knew if she drank too fast Sera would just keep buying her more. It was much easier to control Sera’s impulses by just being a very slow drinker. 

“Got that number yet?” Dorian asked her over his cards, though it took a moment for her to realise he was talking to her. She just raised her eyebrow at him. She didn’t particularly want the whole shop knowing about her crush. 

“Come on, you can’t tell me the egg hasn’t cracked yet?” Dorian said wiggling his eyebrows.

Telana wrinkled her face, “Not your finest work.”

“Sadly this is true,” Dorian lamented. 

“What are you on about Sparkler, you’re making less sense than usual,” Varric said laying down a card that had Dorian swearing. Telana looked pointedly at Dorian. 

Dorian was about to open his mouth when Sera placed a tray of shots on the table. 

“Don’t you dare,” Telana hissed at him. Dorian placed his hand on his chest.

“SHOTS!” Sera yelled. “Stop your pissing about and whatevers and grab one.” 

Everyone dutifully picked up the shot of clear liquid. Tequila no doubt. Josephine looked sadly down at her shot, but she didn’t say anything. 

“To ass-wipe customers that can’t remember the fucking titles of books!”

“Hey!” Varric exclaimed. 

“DRINK!” Sera yelled. 

Telana necked the shot in her hands and scrunched her face up at the acidic hit that filled her taste buds. She never could get used to tequila shots without the lime. When she opened her eyes Josie was spluttering, but the rest had taken it in their stride. Sera was turning them all into extreme heavyweights, soon they’d be entering themselves into competitions, maybe they could challenge a rival store to a drink off. 

“So,” Dorian said while Varric scolded Sera. “You didn’t answer the question.” 

“Why are you so obsessed about me and this customer?” she said. 

“You did get his number!” Dorian exclaimed. Telana bit on the inside of her cheek. Dorian’s grin was insufferable. 

“Whose number?” Leliana asked. Telana kicked Dorian under the table and his beer spilled down his front. 

“I liked this shirt,” he whined. “Was this just an elaborate scheme to get me topless.” 

“I’d appreciate that,” the Iron Bull stated pulling over a chair to the group. Everyone shuffled around to make space for Dorian’s ginormous boyfriend. 

“Don’t you want to save my dignity,” Dorian asked with wide eyes. “Or be possessive over my naked flesh.” 

“Ew, I need more shots,” Sera announced. 

“Nope. I’d rather show you off and ogle at the same time,” Bull replied with a grin.

“And your dignity has been held to ransom by your flamboyant ways for years,” Telana grinned. Dorian narrowed his eyes on her and she realised her mistake. 

“It is, is it? Well at least I’m not pining for a customer who is grumpy and bald with terrible fashion sense and whose number I have, but I haven’t bothered texting yet.” 

Telana’s face flamed and she was too stunned to move for a moment. She held everything still as the questions were flung at her. 

“What customer?” 

“Since when?”

“He’s bald”

“How come you didn’t tell me?”

“Why haven’t you texted him?”

Telana ignored them all and took a long deep drink of her beer. 

“I hate you,” she said to Dorian. 

“You love me,” he said with a wink.

She gave a quick run down to the others of the few interactions she’d had with Solas. 

“And you haven’t texted him?” Josie asked. “You seem like you’re pretty into it.”

“She’s so into it,” Dorian said, “She blushes when she sees him and goes all coy.” 

“I do not,” Telana snapped, though she couldn’t actually say for certain that wasn’t the case. “I don’t know what to say.” 

“You could say ‘Hi’” Josie suggested. “Or how is your work going? Or we have new books in? Or hey let's go for coffee?” 

“He doesn’t drink coffee,” Telana frowned. 

“They have water at coffee shops,” she said taking a sip of her G&T. 

“I suppose,” Telana replied. She actually wasn’t 100% sure why she hadn’t texted. She’d started the message a good few times. But it always felt stupid. Solas was a researcher at a university and while she knew she wasn’t an idiot, she often wondered why her life had taken her to a job just above minimum wage in a bookshop. She sighed. 

“It’s moot anyway,” Bull said. 

“And why is that?” Leliana asked Bull over her drink.

“Because I just texted him for you,” Bull said and then threw Telana’s phone back at her. She caught it on instinct and just stared at Bull. 

“You did what?” 

“SHOTS!” Sera chorused depositing the tray on the table. 

No one knew what the Iron Bull’s job had been in Russia, or what his real name was for that matter. They knew it had had something to do with the military, but it was ‘classified’ and they all suspected it had something to do with a spy network. He claimed it didn’t matter anyway as he was no longer in Russia. Dorian had accused him of being a sleeper agent on multiple occasions when they had first met. And Bull had accused Dorian of being a terrorist more than a few times in return, which she supposed was the Brexit world they now lived in. The fact that Bull had managed to steal her phone, crack her password and text Solas in the space of 10mins without anyone noticing, gave a hell of a lot more validity to the Iron Bull was a Russian spy theory though. 

Dorian looked at his boyfriend with such pride in his eyes it made Telana want to kick him again. 

She looked at the message

_Hey, want to grab a drink after I finish work on sat? - Telana_

It was harmless she supposed, but that didn’t make her want to throttle him any less

“To Lavellan and her attempts to get her leg over,” Sera cheered. 

“What!”

“DRINK!”


	4. Chapter 4

Telana sat on the bay window of the staff room trying to apply a winged line to her upper lid. The lighting was best in this spot, not to mention she was able to people watch on the street three floors below. She finished the line on her second eye and examined her work. Not completely symmetrical, but passable. She bit her lip, something was missing. She leapt from the bench and hurried off to the manager’s office. 

Telana rapped her knuckles on the door and strode in. Josephine was sitting at her desk typing away at the keyboard. 

‘Hey, what’s -‘ Josie said as she turned in her chair. She leant back and looked Telana up and down. Telana hadn’t gone overboard, she’d been at work all day and Solas would know that. So she’d went black skinny jeans and a dark ruby coloured top that was long-sleeved but backless, and clung to her in what she hoped was a flattering way. 

‘Very nice,’ she said with a smile. 

‘Do you have any highlighter?’ Telana asked grinning.

Josie held up her hand in a just a moment gesture and started digging through her handbag. It didn’t take long for her to find what she was looking for and throw it Telana’s way. She snatched it out the air. 

‘Cheers,’ she said. Telana looked at the highlighter, _Elizabeth Arden_. Her stomach rolled at thought of the cost of the piece in her hand. 

‘Just give me it back tomorrow, have a good night, and I will want all of the details.’

‘Thank you,’ Telana grinned. 

‘Okay, now go, I have work to do.’ 

Telana didn’t skip exactly back to the staff room, but it wasn’t exactly a trudge either. She didn’t know what to expect on the date, but she was looking forward to staring at those freckles all night. Not to mention the lips. And the eyes. As long as she didn’t say anything stupid this was going to be a delightful evening. 

Telana noticed Solas browsing the fiction books as she started to come down the shop stairs. They’d agreed to meet on the ground floor, but she stopped on the top landing to eye him up, he was wearing charcoal trousers and a black shirt slightly open at the collar. There was sweat on her palms, and she suddenly regretted not going for a nervous wee before coming down. His brow furrowed at the book in his hand. Telana’s lips tugged up at the edges, she tried to get a look at the book he had taken such displeasure at, but couldn’t quite see it. His long fingers held onto the book with gentle care, even if he was annoyed at it. She imagined what else those deft fingers could hold on to. 

Not wanting to get caught staring she hurried down the last few steps, and bounded over to him. 

‘You look a little out of place on this floor,’ she said. Solas turned his head ever so slightly to glance at her. It was subtle, but she saw his quick intake of breath. 

‘You look…’ he paused. She imagined if he was searching for the right word it might take some time given his diverse vocabulary. ‘Divine.’ 

Telana’s eyebrows nearly rose off her head, of all the words for him to describe her, she hadn’t envisioned that one, and he hadn’t seen the backless part yet. 

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘You scrub up very nicely yourself.’ 

‘Shall we?’ he said and offered her his arm. She ignored the stares from her colleagues undoubtedly weighing up his every action so that they could judge him without mercy later. 

She hooked her arm around his and she could have sworn she heard Dorian whistle. 

‘Where are we going?’ she asked. 

‘I’ve made a reservation at the new place that’s just opened down street,’ he said. Telana had to keep her eyebrows down. She expected him to say one of the chain restaurants just outside the store. 

‘I may be underdressed,’ she said. Solas looked down at her.

‘Absolutely not,’ he said. Telana felt her cheeks heat up under the intensity of those eyes. She could burn up under that gaze and suddenly wished they weren’t going out at all, but were instead going back to her flat. She looked ahead avoiding the temptation to just push him against the nearest bookcase. 

It didn’t take them long to get to his restaurant of choice. It was dark inside and nearly all mahogany, like a painting of an old reading room. Nearly all of the seats inside were taken and the smell of paella clung to the air. Her stomach rumbled and she put her hand on her belly in the hopes to quiet it. 

‘This is fancy,’ she said under her breath and she noticed a twitch at Solas’s lips, but what it meant she couldn’t say. Solas spoke to the waiter who showed them to the table by the window.

‘So how is the research going?’ Telana asked. ‘Any progress?’ 

‘Sadly no, I appear to have hit a block,’ he said with his eyes focused on the menu in front of him. ‘It would be of much greater help if modern day descendants of the druids knew even a bit of their own history.’

Telana frowned, ‘My family’s Scottish. There is a lot of Celtic traditions they have tried to preserve.’ 

‘And unfortunately most of it is wrong,’ he said with a sigh. 

‘What about it is wrong?’ she snapped. 

‘Too much for one evening,’ he said with a small smile. Telana took a deep breath and glanced at her own menu. She knew he wasn’t getting at her personally, but she couldn’t help thinking about her family in Aberdeen. Her mother had moved to England before Telana was born for a work and had recently returned. Her grandmother worked at a little tourist shop selling books on Scottish myths and jewellery with Celtic knots. 

When she looked up she saw Solas gazing at her. She shifted in her seat, feeling the need to squirm under the intensity of his stare. 

‘Forgive me,’ he said. ‘I have not had great experiences sharing my research and knowledge, I can be abrupt in my delivery.’ 

‘What do you mean?’ she asked. ‘I know you said your colleagues don't believe you.’

‘Not just them, no one likes to be told their culture is based on lies and half truths.’ 

‘You’re right, no one does like that,’ she said. ‘Still I think I’d rather know the truth than push on with a lie.’ 

‘You are unique in that regard,’ he replied. The waiter came over, and they ordered wine and their food. 

‘Have you travelled much for your research?’ 

‘I do a lot of research in ancient ruins and battlefields.’ 

‘Archaeology I suppose plays a key amount in any ancient civilisation research,’ Telana remarked. Though she knew Dorian was doing research on slavery in the Byzantine empire and he didn’t go visiting ruins. She supposed he’d be worried about getting dirty.

Solas nodded. ‘Any building able to survive the rigours of time is steeped in history. Not just ancient but the subsequent generations will have left their stamp on the place. Sometimes I camp there to gain a feeling for the place.’ 

‘In the ruins’ she gasped. ‘Is that legal?’

He laughed, ‘it would be if I was the general public, but I get permission. I suppose it’s another reason no one wants to take me seriously.’ 

Telana shook her head at him as she smiled, ‘how on earth did you survive your Viva?’ 

‘Well actually I’m post-doc, no viva’s for me anymore. However, my papers do receive a higher scrutiny than others, and I often find my softer pieces getting published in the journals over others.’ 

The waiter arrived with their wine, As he rearranged the table to fit everything on, his elbow caught the glass and it tumbled off the edge. Telana’s hand snapped out and grabbed it before it reached the floor 

‘I’m so sorry,’ the waiter said grabbing it from her hand.

‘It’s fine,’ she said.

‘Nice reflexes,’ Solas commented. 

‘I dance,’ she said to Solas’ raised eyebrow. 

‘What style?’ 

‘When I was younger I did ballet, I do a lot of contemporary now,’ she said. ‘It’s just for fun.’ 

‘Even so you clearly train for it, the grace with which you move is a pleasing side benefit.’

Telana smiled, feeling her cheeks warm up, both from his comment and the wine. ‘So you’re suggesting I’m graceful.’ 

‘No. I am declaring it. It was not a subject for debate.’

She sucked in a breath and her toes curled in her heels. She grabbed her wine and took a generous gulp. 

‘Thank you,’ she said. 

The date went on in much the same fashion. Solas musing over druids and Telana listening intently. She’d never heard someone be so sure and yet be so isolated by their peers. Most others would have crumbled under that scrutiny, but not Solas. He was so clear and absolute in his focus, that she wondered just what it would take to distract him. 

‘How are you getting home?’ He asked as they left the bar. Telana glanced at her watch. 

‘Bus,’ she said. ‘I get the one close to where I park my car when I drive in.’ 

‘I shall walk you over,’ he said. 

Telana smiled. ‘I’d appreciate that. But you know a man alone is more likely to be attacked than a woman.’ 

‘Who said I was walking to protect you, I merely want to remain in your presence a little while longer.’ 

‘Sweet-Talker.’ 

They walked through the streets in a companionable silence and Telana found herself basking in the moment, even as she shivered against the cold. 

They reached the bus stop, ‘this is me.’ 

‘Thank you for this evening, I have not met anyone like you,’ he said like he almost didn’t believe himself. Telana had the feeling she was to him as a riddle was to a man before the sphinx. She felt drunk on it. ‘I would like to do this again.’ 

‘Me too,’ she said and it came out more breathy than she intended. Solas looked down and Telana reached across and pulled his face to hers and catching his lips. It was a small kiss, the contact was barely there, but she could feel every nerve within her body. 

Solas froze and so Telana moved back, shocked by her own action, she turned away, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back into his arms and to his lips. This kiss was as definite as his hands on her body. She heard someone yell ‘get a room’ from over the street, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. 

This time Solas parted the kiss, ‘Goodnight Telana.’ 

‘Goodnight,’ she whispered trying to steady her breath and her racing heart. She watched as he walked away and maybe her eyes lingered on his ass, but she mostly just tried to keep herself upright. It might have been a long time since she had been kissed, but if it had been like that she would never have given it up.

‘Well fuck me,’ she breathed.

**Author's Note:**

> I used to work in a bookshop and this fic is very cathartic for me. I am promising nothing in the way of plot or regular updates, but I do promise to delve into this world every so often and post random updates of the developing relationship between our favourite egg and his inquisitor.


End file.
